Porcelain People
by sincerely-jessy
Summary: AU. Jasper Hale is a faith healer, living in a shitty apartment on the wrong side of New York. Alice is a young orphan, living with her older brother. But nothing is as it seems. "Can you fix me?" "If the Lord permits it, ma'am."
1. Going Through The Motions

_**A/N:** _Hey, guys! So, this is a new project. It's a collab with **Luna Black Loves Pie (without spaces) **(who writes excellent twilight fics, go check them out) and yours truly. Now, if you're someone who's read my past stories, you're probably going "asdfghjkl; TWILIGHT?" Just, trust me, man. It'll be nice. :D

I wanted to expand my boundaries so this is me writing something different. We hope you like it.

Sincerely,

Jess and Steph

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 1: Going Through The Motions<em>

We all deserve to die. For one reason or another. Living is a privilege that must be earned.

So, the fact that out of the seven billion people inhabiting the earth, Jasper Hale was taking up space and breathing air—when he shouldn't have been—was absurd. It was ridiculous, ludicrous, foolish.

But above all, it was wrong.

And Jasper _knew it._

As he went through daily life: waking up every morning, working, drinking, sleeping…that fact loomed over him. It made him think about it. This _thing _called existence, and how trivial and unfair it was.

He, like many others, were living on borrowed time. Time they just didn't deserve.

So why is it that he dedicated his life to _saving _them?

Jasper woke up, hung-over. But what else was new? He didn't really need to sleep. He just preferred sleeping over the sound of the silence. Groaning, he rolled out of bed, hair suffering from the humidity; looking like a wild beast waiting to be tamed. When he saw his reflection in the mirror, just the thought of the battle ahead made him tired, so he went back to bed.

_Oh shit, _he thought, _the liquor is on the other side of the room_.

Prepping himself before hand, he pushed off and rolled across the room. He landed into his kitchen table with a thud. Suppressing a cuss word or two, he reached for the half empty bottle of Hennessey.

It was _two fucking inches _from his grasp.

Sighing, he got off of the floor and just when he reached for the bottle the doorbell rang.

Every force in the universal really wanted Jasper sober for some reason.

That was a first.

He rushed into the bathroom, and splashed some water on his face. He grabbed the toothpaste and gave his teeth a quick brush. The doorbell rang once again.

"Coming!" he said, but it sounded more like "Crrring." due to the toothpaste still in his mouth.

Now the doorbell was ringing erratically, clearly by someone who was panicking. He knew the sound of panic; he practically ran on it.

He looked through the peep hole just to make sure it wasn't anyone dangerous—Rosalie warned him about dangerous people. Rosalie said a lot—and only saw a young girl. He quickly deduced she was in her mid-twenties, intelligent, and shy.

Oh, and she was dying.

He opened the door, and waited for an explanation. He didn't greet her, he lost all traces of politeness once he got into the business. Saying please or thank you, or hello didn't seem important in matters of life or death.

"Can you fix me?" she asked. She was very straight forward, which he wasn't used to. Most people were either afraid of him, or thought him a joke. But if he was such a hoax, why did they bother coming?

"Can you fix me?" she repeated, fazed by his silence.

He looked at the clock on the wall, almost as if he actually had some appointment. That was a joke, of course.

"If the lord permits, ma'am." he finally drawled, southern accent resurfacing.

* * *

><p>Edward Cullen sat in his chair in the living room, reading<em> Of Mice and Men <em>by John Steinbeck. Despite all of his focus being on the text of the novel, he heard a cough echo through his small apartment.

The sound of that small cough—that harmless cough—was equivalent to the last sound the people of Pompeii must've heard before Mount Vesuvius erupted.

Well, at least to him, anyways. But, what else was new?

He jumped from his spot, not bothering to bookmark his book, and ran to the room. He swung the door open, and looked in concern at the coughing girl in her bed.

"Alice?" He said, "Are you okay?"

She smiled, "Never better."

"Are you sure? Should I make you some soup?" He questioned, not letting his sister's smile fool him as it usually did.

"No, Eddie, I think _your _soup will just make me feel worse." She chuckled as his face fell.

"You know, Al, you can really be an asshole sometimes." He smiled back at her.

"It's what I'm here for." She replied. He slowly walked out of her room, but felt a force pulling him back. The perpetual forces of what if. He turned back, and leaned into her doorway.

"Alice?"

"Yes, Eddie?"

"I hope you have a magnificent day today."

She raised one of her eyebrows, "Okay…?"

"And for the rest of your life, too." He left it at that, and walked away into the living room. He picked up his book, and tried to pick up his reading. But, it still felt incomplete. It wasn't enough. He briskly walked back to her room.

"Oh, and Alice?" She glared at her pesky older brother.

"What, Edward." She huffed.

"I love you." Alice tilted her head, and squinted her eyes to get a better look at her brother.

"What do you want now?" she questioned, affectionately.

"Nothing. I just…I…I'm not sure. I just feel like I don't say it enough."

"I love you too." She smiled at him, although still slightly confused.

"Alright."

"Mhmm."

"Yeah."

"Ed?"

"Yeah, Alice?"

"You _need _to get a girlfriend."

He made noises of disapproval, then walked away, smiling.

He didn't have time for a girlfriend. Not only was he studying archeology and anthropology down by the university in town, but he also had a job at research and development in that same university. The truth was, most of his time was taken up either getting an education, or doing things to take care of Alice.

Not the Alice you're thinking of. Life wasn't much of a wonderland.

He tried to read the words of Steinbeck, but they seemed to fall short.

* * *

><p>Jasper started cleaning blood off of his table, with bleach and a dirty rag that had several mysterious stains from times when he was less than alert. Satisfied with his half-assed job, he tossed the rag into the garbage, deciding that…maybe it was time for a new one, after all.<p>

Done with his hard work, and feeling something resembling a calmness, he finally got around to picking up his booze.

"To a hard day at work!" he yelled to no one in particular, and got ready to take hardy swig.

Then the doorbell rang.

_I really need to get that thing removed, _he thought as he put the bottle down and trudged to the door.

He looked through the peephole, and saw nothing. Confused, he began to walk back. But then it rang again.

A bit peeved, he walked back and looked through the peephole. Again, there was nothing.

He began to catch on. He mimicked the sound of footsteps, but really stayed in place.

The doorbell rang, but Jasper was quick. He flung the door open, "What do you _want_?" he questioned, annoyed.

Standing there was a tall, tan, muscular fellow, who looked like he started some shit a few times in his life.

"Hey, man, hey! Are you _this guy_?" he pointed to a flyer, clearly printed off of the internet.

Jasper realized this boy must be a customer. But he didn't look sick. Quite the contrary, he was brimming with life.

"Yessir, that's yours truly." Jasper answered. Jake held up the flyer to his face just to make sure. The expression was exactly the same. There wasn't any.

"Is all that stuff true? About you healing people, I mean." Jake asked.

Jasper knew what he was now. He was one of those non-believers. But he would come to believe. All in due time.

Jacob saw the look in his eyes, and quickly corrected him, "No, man. I totally believe in faith healers, as well as ghosts, omens, fairies, and…you get the idea. It's just that, there are a lot of fakes out there. And this is something that means a lot to me. Well, not really me specifically, but…"

Jasper figured that this kid talked a lot.

"I'm Jacob, by the by! Jacob Black." He grabbed Jasper's hand and shook it violently.

"Jasper Hale." He replied.

"I know! It says that on the flyer, man!"

Jasper figured that Jacob was also a bit of a douchebag.

Jacob then got a call, which he didn't even look at. He simply knew who it was.

"Well, I have to go. That's my friend calling, he's a bit of a buzz kill. But, I'll be back, eventually. Maybe you can convince me, then." He said.

"Yeah, maybe." Jasper replied.

"Bye, man." And then he was gone.

"…See you later." Jasper said to the empty doorway, still confused at the encounter he just had. Shaking it off, he grabbed his bottle of booze.

He took a nice, long swig.

"At least you'll never confuse me." He said.

* * *

><p>Edward came out of the kitchen, holding a sandwich with burnt bread. It was as good as it was going to get. He placed it down on the counter. He walked to his refrigerator to get himself a strawberry smoothie. As he poured himself a glass, he heard the apartment door open.<p>

"HEY MAN. I HEARD YOU NEEDED SOME HELP WITH YOUR WOOD." Immediately, Edward regretted calling his best friend Jacob Black.

"Why must you make everything sound so homoerotic?" Edward said.

"I'm not sure what that word means, man but I think that I make some things sound a bit gay." Jacob replied back.

"Are you trying to tell me something?" Edward asked.

"Yes. I want your babies." Jake said in a matter-of-factly tone.

There was a moment of silence between the two friends, and finally Edward shook his head.

"Just get out. I'll find someone else to watch Alice."

"C'mon, man. Don't make my little man crush change things between Alice and I!" Jacob snorted.

"Alice and _me, _Jacob."

"Man, why does _everything _have to be about you?"

Alice walked into the room, unable to rest. The commotion was too loud for anyone to rest.

"Hey, Jake," Alice addressed her brothers self proclaimed BFFL, "hey Ed. Tabbitha and I are going to go to the mall later today."

Jacob wrinkled his nose at the mention of her name, "You're going out with the _sea-witch_?"

Alice rolled her eyes, and went to grab something from the fridge.

Edward shook his head, then turned to Jake, "You, shut up," he then turned to Alice, "and no. You're not going anywhere. You're sick."

They both turned to him, and whined.

"Now, Eddykins! Is that any way to treat your BFFL?" Jacob said with mock exasperation.

"_Self proclaimed_." Edward hissed back at the Quilette Native-American in his kitchen.

"A BFFL's a BFFL a BFFL a BFFL," Alice chimed in from the fridge.

"Can both of you just silence yourselves? Just for a few moments? Please?" Edward begged. The house began to slowly silence itself, and then Alice's best friend barged into the door.

"ALIICE? ALICE CULLEN? I'M LOOKING FOR ALICE CULLEN? HAS ANYONE SEEN HER? SHE'S A SEXY BEAST!" A small, Filipino girl with the voice of a sports announcer stood in the living room. She held in her hands the keys to a nice car.

Alice smiled and waved, "Hi Tabby."

"Hey girl, hey. So, are you ready to go?" Tabbitha said while looking at her poorly dressed friend.

"Well, obviously not. _Edward,"_ She took a moment to glare at him, "doesn't want me to go anywhere today, because I'm sick."

Tabby shrugged, "Oh well. We can just stay here and watch a movie or something. I can make you some soup, if you'd like."

"I'd like that very much," Alice nodded her head.

Edward haughtily huffed, "How come you're going to take soup from her, but not from your own _brother_?"

Jacob put a hand on his shoulder, and with a valley girl accent said, "It's okay, honey! This is, like, all going to be okay, you know?"

Tabbitha wrinkled her nose and stared at Jake, "Why do you have to be such a douche-bag?"

Jacob cast a glance in her direction, "I was _born _this way," he flipped his head, in an attempt to flip his hair. Which was short.

Shaking his head and walking out of the door, Edward whispered, "I hate you all."

Before closing the door, he tenderly called back, "Alice, you have an appointment this week, okay?"

"Alright," she called back halfheartedly.

As he walked down the hallway, he thought about what it would be like if things were different. Quickly, he shook the thoughts away. There was no use in dwelling on them. That's not what mom and dad would have wanted.

* * *

><p>Jasper was on his second bottle, and had no plans of slowing down. It's not like he had anywhere to be, or anyone to see. It's not like anyone cared. So why should he?<p>

"You know, I need a vacation." He said aloud.

He was an introvert as it is, so seeing two people in the course of a few hours made him a bit weary.

He should have been used to visitors; people coming by to get what they want for themselves. But it was okay, because he always got what he wanted in return. Using is okay if it's a two way street.

_Mayb_e _that's why Rosalie stuck around for so long, _he thought, _not because she actually liked me, or I actually liked her. But we needed each other. We were both lonely._

But then he bit down on his tongue, because he knew the pain would stop his train of thought. Rosalie wasn't coming back.

He looked around at the empty, crappy apartment. And the big walls of the room made him feel so small. There was really no point, was there?

"I miss it." He said. He missed it more than he should have. Being _mortal_. Because to live forever was basically the same as perpetually dying.

_Rosalie warned me, _he thought, _she said it would get lonely._

But him, being human back then, his primal thought was survival. Nothing else mattered.

He knew there was a way to off himself, Rosalie had spoken about it before. But, of course, she wouldn't tell him. She kept a lot from him.

So, he decided, if he was going to continue existing, he would not be useless. He'd do something that no one was able to do. He'd cure the incurable.

"And I have been! Curing them, I mean." He announced to the empty room. The sound faded back into the silence, which he cringed at. Why did it even have to exist? Silence.

The doorbell rang, and Jasper, surprisingly, didn't mind.

Without even looking through the peephole, he opened the door. Unwelcome company was just that; _company_.

Of course, Jacob "Douchebag" Black from earlier stood in his doorway. And he wasn't as annoyed as he should have been. In fact, he welcomed him in this time.

"Nice apartment." Jacob snickered, "But, well, I always assumed you'd live in a more mystical place."

But then he saw them. They were stacked on shelves, row after row after row.

"Now, _that _is top-notch creepy, man. Straight out of a horror movie." Jake said, going closer to one of them, "It's like they're staring at me."

Jasper owned dolls. A lot of them.

"Don't touch that!" he said, and Jake backed away from it, smiling. That was the first time he heard Jasper express any kind of emotion besides boredom. It was nice knowing the guy was human.

"Sorry, man. So, you know why I'm here. Prove it." Jake said.

"I'm sorry?"

"Prove that you're a healer." Jake said.

"But you're not sick." Jasper said, "I can't heal someone who isn't properly sick."

"I know someone who is, though. But I can't trust you until you prove that you're a healer." Jake said.

"Correction, sonny. I'm a _faith _healer. I can't prove anything. You just have to have faith in the good Lord, and know that he provides." Jasper said, smiling as if sharing a private joke with himself.

Mulling it over, Jake seemed to finally be satisfied with that answer.

"Alright. I'll be back, with a possible patient next time."

"Lookin' forward to it." Jasper said, and bid him farewell.

_Interesting. Things are becoming interesting again, _Jasper thought. He actually couldn't wait for tomorrow.

_That_ was new.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:** _Thanks for reading! We worked hard on this. It was definitely out of my comfort zone, so I'm not sure how this went. Feedback would be appreciated.'

We hope you enjoyed reading this as much as we enjoyed writing it.

Sincerely,

Jess and Steph


	2. Free Falling

_Chapter 2: Free Falling_

Have you ever had a nightmare? They're like dreams without the happy endings. But then again, that's a foolish question. Of course, you've had a nightmare. Here's a better question:

Have you ever lived one?

Because Alice Cullen has.

She started off the first thirteen years of her life walking on solid ground. But then all of a sudden it was no longer ground but glass, and she could see the emptiness beneath it.

It's like one of those dreams where you're free-falling, but you never hit the bottom. What if there is none? What if falling is all there is?

Alice Cullen does not know.

But what she does know is that the clock is ticking, time is running out, and life is too short to waste it wondering. Sixteen years. She had wasted sixteen precious years.

The first thirteen were spent in ignorance, and the last three spent in longing for the beginning.

But she was here—at a café with Tabitha—and this was now—spring of 2007. And she would enjoy every moment of it, even if the loud sounds of the crowded place made her cringe, and the thought of germs on her seat made her skin crawl.

"So, the hoes came up to me and had the nerve to ask me if I was dating the swamp creature." Alice knew the swamp creature to be Jacob Black, "So I said, 'Ask your Mom.' They tried to fight me but Ambimbola had my back. Needless to say, we both got detentions."

She smiled affectionately, but her mind seemed to be someplace else, "If you keep this up they won't let you walk at graduation."

"What are the bitches going to do? We all know the Superintendent is afraid of Ambimbola ever since her mom came in and stripped for career day."

Alice chuckled, "Yeah, that was nice…"

"And Jacob got me pregnant." she said.

"Yeah, that was…w-what?" Alice stammered, breaking out of her stupor.

Tabitha just shook her head and laughed, getting up from the table to go the bathroom.

Alice continued to twirl her spoon around in her cup, watching the swirls it produced. Tea was simple. People weren't.

As if on cue, Jacob sauntered into the café. She did not need to look up to know it was him, because he was already speaking a mile a minute, like a bee that never quit buzzing.

"Alice, how are you?" she tried to answer but he just continued, "Good to hear, I'm doing great, by the way! Listen, I wanted to talk to you about something serious."

"Does it have to do with Edward?" she asked, suddenly worried.

"No, no. Sit back down. It has to do with you. And, I'd appreciate if you wouldn't tell Eddy-kins about this for a while." Jake said.

Alice stopped worrying, because she could never take Jake seriously.

"Uh-huh. Sure. Whatever. What is it, anyway? Are you guys starting that whole prank thing again?"

He smiled fondly, "Oh, the memories…but no. I wanted to ask about…I know this sounds odd but, I think there might be a chance that-"

"What is _that _doing here?" Tabitha announced as she made her way back to the table.

"I thought you were here _alone_." Jake accused Alice.

She put up her hands defensively, "Hey, I never said that."

Tabitha continued to rant on about something, and Jake just kept answering with phrases like "that's what she said.", "Your mom.", and "That's not what you said last night."

Alice slowly sunk down into her chair and hid her face as best as she could. People were looking at her and it made her nervous. Just the mere acknowledgement that she existed was enough to set her off at times.

Tabitha had had enough of Jake's presence on this earth, so she whipped out her phone and began to dial a number.

"Hello," she looked Jacob straight in the eye as the caller picked up.

"Who are-what are you-who is that?" Jake demanded. He knew how much dirt the sea witch had on him.

"Am. Bim. Bola." she whispered, separating each syllable like they were separate knives aimed at Jake's penis.

As if sensing this, he grabbed them protectively, "Noooo." he said in a high-pitched voice.

He got out of the chair, dialing Edward on his way out of the store. When he got to the door he bumped into someone and dropped his phone. He bent down to pick it up, but it got stepped on by a foot clad in gaudy high-heels.

Slowly, he looked up in terror, and he saw:

"Ambimbola." he whispered in fear, frozen to the spot.

"Why didn't you call me?" She sassed.

"Well, you see, I was—I got – I was tied up at that moment," Albeit voluntarily.

"Don't gimme that bullshit. You was probably getting kinky." She accused once more.

"Well, didn't I say I was _tied up?_" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Ambimbola began to throw her things to the sidelines where Tabitha was waiting, all the while muttering, "Hold my shit. This bitch don't know me. He don't know how I grew up. I'm about to teach him."

"Amby, baby, calm down. What we had was _special, _but I've moved on." Jake said nervously.

"Did you just call me _baby_?" she demanded, then turned to Tabby, "Did he just call me _baby_?" she paused to contemplate, "Now, I know he did not just call me baby…"

A waiter walked by with a tray of deserts. She grabbed the pie, and impulsively threw it in his face. Then she kneed him in the balls and began to leave the store.

"Oh, by the way, I was friends with Amby since kindergarten." Tabitha said to Jake with faux-friendliness before leaving as well.

"Are you okay?" Alice asked him from under the table where she had taken refuge.

"Okay?" he repeated, touching his face in astonishment, "Okay? I'm _more _that okay! I've never felt so…_alive _before!" With a grin, he chased after the girl.

Yet being all alone in that dangerous, germy, noisy café, Alice had never felt more dead.

She did her best to shake away the feeling, and noticed a familiar face approaching her. He crouched down to her level, beneath the table where she was still taking refuge.

"What happened here?" Edward asked.

Alice tried to come up with the words, but could only settle on, "Ambimbola…"

"Oh." He replied, shaking his head and frowning, "You know, I really don't approve of you being outside like this, Al. You're sick." Alice squirmed, and then shrugged off her brother's concern, "It was just a small thing, Edward."

Alice hung her head down, knowing it wasn't. But would it kill him to let her believe?

She came out from beneath the table and they made their way out of the café.

Edward sighed, while paying the check. He walked Alice home, and made sure she got into bed. It's so hard caring sometimes, when she doesn't even make the effort herself, he thought to himself while heading out to his next class. But he took it back instantly. He knew she cared more than anyone.

He was rudely interrupted from his musings by the last person he wanted to see. Groaning, he looked angrily at Jacob Black. He was far from being able to handle more of his shenanigans.

"Man, I have a feeling I'm about to get it in tonight." Jake explained with a smug grin on his face.

"Why didn't you bring her home?" Edward demanded, ignoring his former statement.

Jacob sighed, "You have to let her be a normal kid, you know? Let her breathe."

Edward was going to argue, but he knew it was pointless to get between a fool and its folly.

"So anyways," Jacob continued on, "Can I talk to you about something?"

Edward began to rub his temples in frustration, "Listen, I'm late to class and-"

"The world won't _end _if Edward Cullen doesn't get to class on time! I'm tired of you not taking me seriously! So you're going to sit down, you're going to shut up, and you're going to listen!" Jake ranted, surprised by his own sudden outburst. He just felt that this was a chance, and he would not let Edward brush it off.

Looking down, Edward said, "I'm listening…"

"Do you believe in faith healers?" Jake asked.

Edward stopped and stared at his self-proclaimed best friend. He couldn't even tell if he was joking or not.

" It's rubbish." Edward mumbled with disgust.

Despite the obvious discomfort with the topic, Jacob persevered, "I'm just saying, I found this guy, his name is Jasper Hale, and-"

Edward cut him off, "I'm not going through this again, Jacob."

There was a moment of silence, spent with Jake battling between his anger and his compassion toward his friend. Finally Jake said, in a small voice, "It could cure her…"

Edward turned on his friend, "You know, I'm tired of this. Placebo effects and imaginary figures are not going to get us anywhere. Intangible procedures aren't going to fix or cure anything. You know what will, though? Science. Facts. Cold hard evidence. That's the only thing one can truly rely on. So, when you have a plausible idea, tell me about it."

Jacob frowned at the close-mindedness of his friend, "You should open your soul a little bit…"

"You should open your eyes." Edward stomped off, and left Jake behind.

Today was not anyone's day.

* * *

><p>With his most recent patient taken care of, and the mess cleared up, Jasper decided to lie on his bed and stare at his room. He was so incredibly <em>bored—<em>weary with existence. He looked at his room, which had not changed for the past two years. His eyes grazed across the whole perimeter, noting the mini fridge that was filled with supplies for his work- how it was loudly humming along- the half unpacked boxes of new supplies, the usual little things that he had too much time to think about.

He could walk the whole apartment with his eyes closed, and locate everything without an issue. He looked at the plain wallpaper, the neutrally colored furniture, and the shelf filled with items he had collected over the years.

_Straight out of the horror film, huh?_ He thought to himself. Maybe they were creepy.. Maybe he _should_ get rid of them. Besides, all they were good for was staring back and handing out judgment.

But who were they to judge, when _they _left _him. _

What had only been six years had already seemed an eternity ago.

Why, you ask? Because everything changed in such small time.

It only took six years for him to have been left behind—forgotten—and abandoned like a child abandons its blanket.

Such a funny thing, isn't it? How quickly one can be replaced and forgotten.

He thought about each and every one of them everyday. Sometimes, when he was brave, he would visit. But they never noticed; nor did they spare a single thought for him. How could they?

The only way he could see them was when he was hiding in the familiarity of the shadows. And yet, he yearned for it so badly. Friendship, family, the feeling of being needed.

He would never admit to that, though. Not to himself or anyone else.

"If you don't need me, then I won't need you." He angrily whispered towards his dolls. He found nothing but silence.

That deafening, disturbing, silence. But he expected nothing less.

He went on, "I don't know what's so special about you guys." Again, he received no reply.

"You're all so boring. You all are doing exactly what you said you would." He sighed frustrated while getting up to maybe get a glass of booze.

He decided against the booze; it wasn't going to get him anywhere, anyways.

He made his way over to the shelves upon shelves of dolls that held a striking resemblances to his old friends. They didn't just resemble them. They _were _them.

He picked one up, "Like, you," he paused to remember what his friend was doing, last he saw, "you're married, like you said you would be. To the same girl you were dating when I was your somewhat friend, like you said you would."

Jasper seemed to be somewhat friends with many people, though.

He placed his friend down, and picked up another one, feeling an emotion somewhat resembling anger rising.

"And _you,_" he hissed at the doll, "you're still partying, and being irresponsible, but now you have a _new _person to drive you home when you're too drunk to even function." Why did they all have that new person?

He picked up his newest doll, which he so fondly named Rosalie, in commemoration of his savoir, or so he liked to think. For a while, he felt lonely, and then remembered why.

"You did this." his voice broke, "Then you left me, too. You _stupid- _" He yelled at the doll. He grasped the poor porcelain and threw it angrily towards his bed, hoping to hear it crash into a million pieces.

Yet, he felt strangely relieved when the doll fell short and landed safely on his bed. He realized how foolish he was being. It wasn't his fault that they left him.

Picking up the doll, and straightening its clothes, he whispered, "I'm sorry… I didn't mean it… I won't do it again." He brushed it off softly, and placed it gently back.

"I just… I guess I just…" _Admit it, _he thought. Just as his mouth were about to form the words, the doorbell rang.

Jasper lost his train of thought, and it was replaced by a new one. A more hopeful one. Because the doorbell only rang once. Not several times. Not in a flurry of panic. But once. And this was something different and exciting.

He looked through the peephole and saw Jacob Black. He opened the door; tried to think of what a normal person may say in this situation. But then he remembered who he was dealing with, and that he would not be required to say anything, but only to listen. And he liked that about Jacob. He made socializing fun, and not a burden.

Yet this time, he seemed to mean business. He stormed into the apartment without even muttering hello, and began to inspect it closely. He did a complete three-sixty to observe every square inch of the place, made a very unsatisfied _hrrrmphhh _sound, and then walked up to Jasper, crossed his arms, and said the following:

"This will simply not do." he admonished, "Jasper Hale, this place is an absolute pig-sty. Hasn't your mother taught you better than this?"

Scarily enough, it took a bit of concentration to remember what his mother even looked like, let alone what she taught him. And it had only been six years. What if it only took six more, and he forgot everything? Like none of it never happened. Like Jasper Hale never existed.

"I wasn't expecting visitors." Jasper answered in a surly tone, and Jake raised his eyebrows in surprise. Jasper couldn't blame him. Even he was surprised at his tone.

"So you have _emotions_, huh? Just when you think you know a guy..." he commented absent-mindedly, before getting back to business, "But seriously, we have to tidy up the place. You have a client coming later today."

"But-"

"No buts, mister. Liven up the place! Go!" he commanded.

Jasper trudged into the living room and began to fluff the cushions. Liven up the place? Why would he do that? This was, after all, a place for the walking dead.

Jake huffed to himself, and grabbed the pillow out of Jasper's hand, "You act like you haven't cleaned in years."

_Ding ding ding! We have a winner, _Jasper thought.

"Sorry, ma'am." Jasper remarked, showing the ghost of a smile.

"Haha. Hilarious. We have a comedian on our hands."

Jasper hasn't made a joke in a while. That was so unlike him, so ridiculously sentimental, so uncharacteristically…_human._

He cleared his throat, and wondered what it was that made him change so juristically. It's not as if he had changed anything about himself.

_Maybe, _he thought, _maybe it's because there's a person here who's not dying… _

Then it hit him:

If he wanted to be less bored with existence, he should be investing in those with real lives. Of course, he would still carry on with his regular business, but maybe it would be more… _fun. _

Which was very hard to come by, when you only get business from those who are dying, and who have almost given up completely on the thought of existing.

But, he couldn't go back to his old life. Too much risk. He could just find new people to—to put it in Jacob Black's words—'liven up the place.'

But, he didn't know where normal, living people were these times. So he settled on asking the living person who was fretting and moving furniture around like a brooding housewife.

"So, where do you go for fun on a Sunday night?" He asked, seeing nothing wrong with his abrupt interrogation.

Jacob stopped dead in his tracks, and stared at the introvert. He could never be too sure with people, anymore.

"I like pussy." Jacob proclaimed. Jasper was confused. What did that have to do with his que—oh.

"No, no, no, sir. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like—I just meant…. Oh lord." He stammered.

How was this even happening? How does one person just barge into a life of another and subconsciously make changes to everything they stood for? Everything they are?

Jasper sure as hell didn't know how, but he accepted this strange and sudden change in his lifestyle.

He cleared his throat, "So," his voice cracked a bit from embarrassment, "who is this client?"

Not missing a beat, Jacob replied, "Well, they don't really know they're coming here, so it's more of a consultation than a legit procedure or whatever you want to call it."

Jasper was confused, "But, I don't need to question a—"

"No, _they're_ going to question _you_. So by the time I get back, you better be showered and you better look sexual."

_What does that even __**mean**__, _Jasper thought.

Jacob looked around, and felt a bit more satisfied now that the apartment looked… well, it didn't look any different, but he just moved some shit around.

He trudged out of the doorway, while mumbling to himself, "I've gotta get some flowers and paintings up in this bitch…"

Again, jasper was utterly confused. Something new had happened, but he didn't mind.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **WOO. Another chapter, huh? Well, I hope you guysssss had as much fun reading this as Jessica and I had writing it.

I hope you read her other stories as well, because they are positively smashing, and maybe while you're at it, you can take a gander at some of mine (**LunaBlackLovesPie**). Wash a cat. Give a hobo five dollars. Hug you mother. Hug your father. Kiss your boyfriend or girlfriend. Live. Breathe. Take it easy.

But most importantly, Review this chapater.

Thanks you,

Jess and Steph. But Steph loves you all more.


	3. One Bite

"_You shall love your crooked neighbor. With your crooked heart."_

_-W.H. Auden_

* * *

><p>Jasper had never really worried about his looks in a while. When someone's life was on the line, their last concern was whether or not they kept up personal hygiene, or combed their hair that morning. And Rosalie had not been around to really enforce much of anything.<p>

At first, he really didn't see why he should look—as awkward as it sounds—_sexual._ It's not like anyone was around him enough for him to care about his physical presentation. Without other people around, not much mattered. Especially not how we look.

Because, let's face it. No matter what we say, we dress how we dress in order to impress those around us. And that hadn't been Jasper's goal in a while.

Not since _before _his transformation_. _But this was after, and now he was nothing but a monster. He was the creature under your bed; the ghoul in your closet; the shadow that watched you as you slept.

Monsters don't exactly spend their time trying to look acceptable.

But apparently the mysterious patient was coming over. The one that kept him up, wondering. The one that Jacob Black could not stop talking about.

That patient was coming _here_. The reality sunk in at that moment. The patient was coming _here _and all he had was half a dozen t-shirts, and a few jeans. All of which made him look terrible.

Why hadn't he noticed how bad he looked before?

He looked at himself in the dirty mirror. And for once he did not see a monster, but a boy.

A boy with terribly pale skin, that grew sticky because of the amount of humidity. His hair looked like a wild beast; eccentrically sticking up in all directions. Dead eyes were surrounded by dark, dark circles. He was a walking stick figure.

And he was so _hungry…_

It was weird, really, Rosalie had once told him that he was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen; he thought of himself as her greatest creation.

But monsters tend to see what they want to see when they look in the mirror.

He opened a window, intending to get some fresh air. Well, as fresh as it gets in New York, anyway.

_Where should I even start_, Jasper thought. There was too much to do to settle on one thing.

_A shower, _he decided, feeling filthy because of the way his clothes clung to his skin, _would be a great place to start._

He peeled away his clothing and got into the shower, scrubbing away furiously at his skin, hoping it would make him look shiny and new, similar to how he would polish his dolls.

But humans were unlike dolls, in the way that they could look so vibrant on the outside, yet still be broken within.

When he got out of the shower, towel wrapped around his waist, he heard someone humming. Surprised, he rushed out into his living room to find none other than Jacob, already beginning to change his curtains and put new linens on his bed.

"How'd you get in here?" Jasper asked.

Jacob looked at him, perpetuating the awkward silence surrounding the two of them.

"My, my, you look sexy," said Jacob jokingly, changing the subject, "Why don't you put these on? Make yourself look even better."

Jacob handed him a bag filled with clothes, and ushered Jasper back to the bathroom. Jasper opened the bags, looked at the contents, and if he could, he would have blushed. Slowly putting it back in the bag, he made his way back to the living room.

"I-I'm flattered, Jacob. Really, I am. But I don't think-" Unable to really continue, he just held up the contents of the bag—pink lingerie.

"Oh dear God," Jake started, eyes wide with alarm, "Whoops! Wrong bag. Those belong to a…_friend _of mine." He laughed nervously and then handed him a big bag, all the while thinking to himself that Jasper totally thought he wanted the dick.

And surprisingly enough to both of them, Jasper chuckled along.

He stopped short, shocked by the sound that erupted from his larynx. He hadn't laughed in a…_long _time.

"Thank you." Jasper said, regaining his composure, "I'll try my best to help…"

"Alice." Jake filled in.

"I'll try my best to help _Alice_." Jasper said sincerely, liking the way the name rolled off of his tongue.

Later on, Alice and Jake were in the car, headed to Jasper's apartment.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Jake. Edward's going to go ballistic." Alice admitted.

"And when have you ever listened to Edward before?" he reminded her.

The car was silent. She couldn't believe she was being so _hopeful; so foolish_. Because there was no way this faith healer business was for real.

Because why would God listen to one being over another, if he loves us all? Why were her prayers not enough?

There was a small part of her that wanted so badly to believe, because the alternative was not believing. The alternative was accepting the fact that she was going to die. That Alice Cullen would cease to exist. That falling is all there is.

"Alice, give this guy a chance. I've been going through a bunch of phonies for months, but I've heard he's the real deal. You just need a little faith."

Alice was tired of faith being the only thing to hold on to. It was escaping her. But she'd tighten her grip, hold on until her hands were bruised. She wasn't about to let go, because there would always be that _what if _that would haunt her. The _maybe_.

"We're here." Jake said.

Alice, taking measured breaths, walked into the building.

Jake rang the doorbell and a clean-cut, professional man-with rebellious hair-answered the door. The look seemed new on him. Like an old car that was given a tune-up. And Alice could tell that even he didn't seem to buy his disguise. She met his gaze. The eyes were dead.

"Yes'm?" Jasper drawled like normal, southern accent always present.

"Hi, yes, we're here to see you about the stuff with the thing…" Jake shook his head from behind Alice, letting him know he didn't want the fact they've met to surface.

"Of course," he answered, to both pleas. He opened the door fully, and led them both inside.

Alice stood in the room, and could almost feel the eyes penetrating through her and judging her every move. Instantly, her eyes were drawn to that of the dolls.

_So peculiar, _she thought, staring at how much detail was put into the dolls. Unlike the rest of the room—which was shabby and needed much more than flowers and a new coat of paint—the dolls were pristine, almost as if they had been given baths daily.

"Nice place you've got here. It's a nice place, right, Al?" Jake said a bit too rushed. Alice picked up on it.

_He's been here many times before, _she thought to herself. She made a mental note to bring that up later in the conversation.

"Yeah," she said, still eyeing the dolls, "…nice."

There was an awkward silence, and Jacob could feel himself almost suffocating in it.

"Well, I'll leave you to it," he said, while ignoring a look from Jasper. He walked out of the door, and left the two to mingle.

They both stood in the middle of the empty room, looking at each other. Neither judging nor drawing opinions. Just looking. Searching was a better term; and both found what they were searching for. The sickness. The Disease that touches everyone at some point of their lives.

For some, it passes. For others, it creeps into the soul and shapes the person.

Because contrary to popular belief, loneliness is not a state of mind, but a plague.

Both of them were lost and wandering. Neither was truly living; but stumbling.

Each going through the motions in their own little way.

"So…you need to be healed?" he asked, awkwardly, breaking the silence.

"Yes, I do. And you…fix people?" she asked, equally as awkward.

"Miss, I'm afraid you're mistaken. I don't fix people. That's the job of the good lord." he picked out each word carefully. He felt that if he wasn't careful, he might be exposed.

She smiled at his answer, and he somehow felt warm, but at the same time he felt uncomfortable.

"How many people have you already …fixed?" She said with the innocence of a child asking how many toys the toymaker has made.

"I've lost count." Jasper replied, his eyes shifting around nervously. He was searching for something that a normal person would say. Something courteous, maybe?

"Would you like to sit? Or maybe—" He was cut off by the fluctuation of her emotions.

Jasper, in his previous life, always possessed an uncanny ability to tell what people were feeling. Becoming what he was now only increased said ability.

He realized she had changed from genuinely curious to being cautious and aware.

He wondered why.

"Do you like collecting dolls?" She asked.

"Oh," he said. He had no intention of explaining anything. She was a passing soul. She would not stay. No one ever did. Why would he share his secrets with someone who is dying?

Because they'd take it to the grave, he realized.

"Just a thing." He said quickly. Her eyes narrowed, but she let it slide.

"So, how many times has Jake been here before?" She said, smiling a bit and taking a small mental map of Jasper's face. Jasper felt a bit violated underneath her gaze. He couldn't read her, and it bothered him.

He couldn't sense her fear; her panic. That was all he had sensed for a while. All he had known. But for the first time he was sensing someone who was reassured. Why would someone be so comforted by the fact that they're time was running out?

"Not many," he admitted.

"So, why are you in this…business? Isn't it a bit depressing to be around people who've given up already?" She continued, looking around the apartment and making a mental map of that, too.

Jasper knew he couldn't actually tell her. He was there to validate his existence. To be needed by somebody. Anybody, really.

"I just want to help." Jasper didn't know if that would make her change the topic.

Alice concluded he wasn't just here to help. He was here for something more. He seemed to almost be sicker than she was.

"How do you pay rent? Is this 'faith healing' your only income?" she asked, eyes narrowed. Ahhh, there's an emotion he knew well. Suspicion.

"Every day's a struggle," Jasper said in a joking manner. Only part of him was joking, though. And Alice knew that.

"Sorry, sorry. I just, oh, me and my big mouth!" she proclaimed to herself, almost violently.

He stared at her, surprised by her sudden shift in emotion. She was not just apologizing, she was feeling regret in its purest form.

And he didn't even know why.

"What? What are you sorry for?" he asked.

"I've upset you." she responded.

"No, you haven't, I mean, you didn't-" he stopped mid-sentence. Because he was lying to her. He was upset. And she realized it before he did.

How strange, he thought, that my own power is being used against me.

"It's okay."

They stood there in a comfortable silence, and he allowed her to sit while he went into the kitchen to get them some nourishment.

It was at that moment that he realized that his kitchen was never used. There was no sign of it being occupied by a human life. The counters were near pristine, albeit dusty, and the stove had never been turned on. The cupboards were bare. The only fridge he owned was the mini-fridge in his living room.

He hadn't even realized that was strange. He was one step further from humanity because of it.

He walked back into the living room, thinking up things to tell Alice, when he saw that she had fallen asleep, lulled into a false sense of safety and security in the home of someone she had just met.

And he thought about how lovely she looked. How appetizing.

And this thought terrified him, but the _hunger_ consumed him.

For a while, it felt as if the hunger was all he had ever known.

And it would be so _easy_. So _simple._

_ One bite, _he thought, _I'll only take one bite._

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:**_Hiya! Glad you took the time to read this. Because Stephanie and I spend A LOT of time writing this. Like, down to every detail. Don't ask. But, anyways, I hope you enjoyed it. Because we put a lot of time into it

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Jessica and Stephanie (:


	4. The Waiting

There were a million and one things swimming around in the mind of Jasper Hale. But one continued to resurface. Blood. How it looked and how it smelled and how it tasted on his tongue.

And this thought caused him to hate himself all the more.

Because this was _her. _This was Alice Cullen. The mysterious patient he had been waiting for ever since the day Jake spoke of her. And now she was here and he could care less, because _oh god he was so close._

Teeth grazed the delicate skin on her neck. Contemplating. Pondering. Just on the edge of the cliff.

_Leap, _his mind whispered to him, _Jump. Rosalie isn't here anymore. What have you got to lose?_

But then gold eyes met brown and he was still lost but in a different kind of way.

Her eyes slowly transitioned from being half-lidded to being wide as she took in the sight in front of her. But she didn't seem shocked at what she saw. Unnerved; yes. But not surprised in the slightest way. Jasper was three inches away from her face but that was the least of her concerns. She had just met him, yet she recognized the look in his eyes so well.

_He's like me, _she thought, but she wasn't sure in what way. So she just left it like that, repeated that thought along with each beat of her heart. It comforted her. Made her feel less alone.

_He's like me._

"Hello." she whispered nervously, extending her arms to the ceiling in an attempt to get her blood circulating.

Jasper noticed.

"Hi." he responded, feigning normalcy, but she saw right through that. She was making him uncomfortable, as opposed to it being the other way around.

"I should go, shouldn't I?" she asked.

Unable to speak, he simply nodded, and turned away from her. He exhaled loudly, and suddenly she saw right through his façade. Underneath his classy appearance he was really quite haggard-looking. Still such a child, a lost little boy waiting for guidance. He needed someone to look after him. All of a sudden she found herself wondering where his family was; his friends.

"It was nice meeting you." she said, deciding against being maternal. Now was not the time for attachments.

_It was nice meeting you too, Alice Cullen. You're a very nice person. I'm sorry that I am the way that I am, _he wanted to say, but it took every ounce of his self-will to stop himself from doing something he may regret. So instead he cast her a look that made it very clear that she should leave.

Confused, she left the apartment and found Jake waiting in his car, fully engrossed in a game of Temple Run.

"So how'd it go with the albino?" Jake asked, pausing his game.

"Fine." she lied, eyes downcast. Jake always knew when she was lying, even when they first met.

Seeing that she did not want to talk about it, they drove in silence.

Alice knew why she and Jasper were the same, and that's what unnerved her so much.

_He's sick, _she thought, _he's sick like me._

Alice wasn't sure what to think. How does one react when you look at someone and feel as if you're staring into a mirror; a mirror that shows how you are on the inside? She looked out of the window, watched all the things moving by.

How could everything just keep moving so quickly when she was just stuck in one spot? Everything kept going, technological advances, history being made that very second, and yet she could do nothing but watch it from a distance.

Detached, the way she felt all the time.

_The way he feels, too, _she thought suddenly. She wondered why they were so similar, yet so different. Certainly, she was wrong about him. But then again, she usually never was.

She wouldn't wish her fate on anyone. It was worse than a nightmare. Because in nightmares, you can wake up.

But sadly, for Alice Cullen, this was no nightmare. No, because that would be too simple. Waking up to an escape is too much to hope for in this case.

The car stopped, and Alice almost didn't notice.

"Oh dear…" Jake sighed. Alice looked up, and knew immediately what he meant.

Edward was home, and probably wondering where Alice was. Worried. Angry. Scared.

Alice felt the guilt wash over her before she even opened the door. And it only got worse when she did.

"ALICE?" A familiar panicked voice called, and fast footsteps followed.

Heart sinking, she made her way into the house, past Edward, and settled on the couch. She defiantly chose to ignore him.

"Alice, where have you been?" Edward asked calmly, in a measured tone.

She did not respond. She simply looked down at the ground.

"Where the _hell _have you been?" Edward repeated, sighing in frustration, running a hand through his brown locks to keep from freaking out.

Alice had rarely seen Edward like this. This was one of the few times where he truly looked old. Ancient, even. Forced to grow up too fast because of her. For each worry line she saw marring his youthful demeanor there was an incident where she had screwed up. Because what else can you do when you were young and dying?

"I was just driving around with Jake." she said, noticing for the first time the convenient absence of said person.

"Bullshit." he said, arms crossing over his chest now. Alice _knew _that stance. It was the _you-have-three-seconds-to-spill-everything-before-I-tell-mom-and-Dad-stance. _He had adapted that stance ever since she could remember. With each year it just grew more and more effective.

Until one day it stopped working. Because it was an empty threat. Because you can't speak to the dead.

"No, I'm telling the truth. Jake and I just went out for ice cream." she said, fully well knowing that Edward saw right through every pretty little lie that came out of her mouth.

"_Damn it, Alice!_" he yelled abruptly, banging his hand against the nearest wall, seething and wanting to say so much but instead opting to say nothing at all.

She just stared at him. He had never really been like this before. Not to her, at least. Not to his sweet Alice. Not to his little girl.

"Go to your room, please. And don't come out until I come up there." he said in a cold voice.

Angry as well as ashamed, she made her way up the stairs. Her absence seemed to be the cue that Edward needed, because he collapsed into the recliner. The one that used to belong to his Dad.

Taking a shaky breath, he clasped his hands together and brought them to his forehead.

Not sure of what to do, he stared at the empty hallway to make sure no one would bother him.

Then he did something he though he'd never do again.

He started to pray.

"Hey…" he started, and chuckled at himself for his ridiculousness, "I know…I know I've ignored you over the years. And I know I've doubted you. It's just that…I'm just…"

Angry all of a sudden, he quit beating around the bush.

"Well, you haven't really been there for me either. So I guess we're even."

He was enveloped by the chilling silence that followed. But in the quiet there was something so _heavy. _Something actually tangible that he could not see but he _felt _it. It sent something akin to an electric shock up his spine. It terrified him. It _enthralled _him.

"I'm…I'm not strong enough," his voice shook on these words, "To do this. I'm just not strong enough. She's my world; she's my little Alice. But I'm losing her. I can't do this alone."

"My friend, Jake," he smiled at his choice of words, considering he spent so much time denying this, "talks to you a lot. And he seems…happier, I guess. Like a weight is lifted off of his shoulders. I'm not sure if it'll work like that for me, though. I'm different then Jake. He's just so…" _Simple-minded? Naïve? Gullible?_

"He's just so blessed. In a way that I'm not, I guess."

Little did he know that Alice had not gone upstairs, but sat hidden on the stair-way, hearing her older brother pray for the first time in…well, for the first time.

And she didn't know what to make of it. She hung onto his words, taking each and every one of them to heart. Because that's just what Alice Cullen does.

She _feels, _because that's the only thing left for her. The one thing that reminds her she's still alive. Anything was better than being numb.

"I guess… I guess what I'm here to ask you for is… I don't know some _help. _Because that's what you're supposed to do, right? Help?" He paused, as if waiting for someone to answer. He was greeted by nothing but silence.

"I don't know about you," he whispered into his hands, "but now seems as good a time as any to ask for help. Or even just a sign to tell me where to go… Just give me _something."_ At that moment, there was a knock at the door, and Alice silently disappeared.

Edward got up, took a moment to compose himself, and then opened the door. To his surprise, his long time friend, Jacob Black, was standing in the doorway, with a serious expression.

_If this is a sign, I think I'm willing to listen, _Edward thought to himself.

Before he could open his mouth, Jacob was speaking, "We need to have a talk."

Edward could do nothing but nod his head. He had nothing else to do anyways, and the alternative was much worse. The waiting. The agony that cut like a knife. The not knowing.

"I know you think faith healing is stupid," Edward tried to interject about how he would be willing to try anything now, but was cut off, "but I really think you need to take a look into this guy, Jasper Hale. "

Edward sighed, and ran his hand through his hair, "Okay," he said defeated, letting Jacob inside. Tonight was going to be a long night.

* * *

><p>Jasper stayed at a fixed point ever since Alice left. Another mark of his inhumanity: the ability to stay absolutely still. Finally deciding to move with what little strength he had, he made his way to his supply fridge. He found one bag left. Desperately, he pierced the bag with his teeth and squirted the precious substance into his mouth. Moaning in ecstasy, he slowly slid his way down the wall until he was sitting. Eyes closed, he reveled in the sensation; the taste.<p>

Blood.

His eyes then snapped open, and he began to wipe his mouth with the back of his hand when he realized the implications of what just happened. He had used the supplies meant for his patients, something he vowed never to do. Also, it was the last of it. And it was at least three weeks until he would be getting a new shipment—albeit illegally.

"Damn it, Rosalie…" he whispered, cursing the angelic temptress; the beautiful monster aloud, "You never said it was going to be this hard."

_She said it would be easy, _he thought, _you said it would be easy to let go. You said that my former life would no longer be mine; that it would be like watching someone else's life from a television screen._

_**I lied**_, he almost heard that mocking voice of hers say.

_You gave me rules, told me how to hide, _Jasper countered, _But I don't wanna hide anymore. _

This thought hit him; full force.

_I don't wanna hide anymore._

And all of a sudden he was flooded with some sort of emotion, a small part of him finally began to realize what he had become.

He made his way to the shelf of dolls; and the amount of devotion he felt hurt him. The adoration. Because it was one-sided. They did not love him in turn.

And it was as if the old Jasper were looking at the new Jasper. And he was ashamed. Ashamed at what he was. And those stupid, _stupid _dolls had nothing to say for themselves. They just stared at him; blank, cold, lifeless.

Like Jasper.

They weren't capable of feeling love. They did not know what love was.

Feeling almost possessed, he grabbed the nearest one in a rage, opened his window, and dangled it outside.

Here he was again. On the edge of that cliff. But he was an animal. He ran on instinct. He didn't use rationality or thought or _emotion. _

Who cared about the result; the end game? It was all about immediate satisfaction.

And so he let go, and watched it fall. He flinched as he heard it shatter.

The people passing by stopped to look up at him. And he felt so _small_ under their scrutinizing gazes. So he hid from it. That's what he was best at, after all.

He avoided the window for the rest of the night; not even going back to close it.

Because it wasn't the thought of people looking at him that terrified him. It was the thought of people looking right _through _him.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **So that was that, guys. That took a ridiculously long time to write for no reason. But in our defense, we've both been busy with the musicals in our school. Stephanie's school did Bye Bye Birdie and my school did A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. So, there's an interesting factoid for you theater geeks.

As always, thank you for reading. You're all lovely people.

Sincerely,

Jess and Steph

P.S. From now on we'll try to update more frequently, but no promises.


	5. Thanks For The Sex

Jasper Hale was freaking out. Every nerve end that he possessed sparked alive at this moment. Because he wasn't in the familiar four walls of his apartment. He was _out. _In the city. Where a million and one things happened at once and none of it ever made sense or happened for a reason; never had a cause or explanation. Because that was just something humans made up to make themselves feel less small.

But Jasper knew. He knew that at any moment absolutely anything could happen. And it terrified him.

"Jake...please. I need to go home." he begged quietly, not in full-on tantrum mode because he was too polite, yet lightly tugging on the sleeve of Jacob's shirt.

"No, man. You said you'd do this. I'm just helping you out." Jake said with a chuckle, "You really are a little kid sometimes, you know that?"

Jasper's eye brows furrowed at this. He definitely was _not _a kid nor was he little. Kids were innocent, and unscathed and fresh and new. Jasper was old and used and covered in scars.

"That isn't a very accurate analogy." Jasper huffed out. That caused Jacob to laugh even more.

Jacob simply meant that Jasper could be very naïve, and had a tendency to take things very literally. By countering his statement, he simply proved his point.

Over the past few weeks Jasper had grown slightly more comfortable with Jacob. It made things easier and harder all at once. Normally, Jasper would have gone in the store regardless of his fears; eager to show compliance more than anything else because that took the least amount of energy. But now he occasionally objected to Jacob's plans, which was both a delight and a nuisance.

"Come on, dude. We both agree that your wardrobe is a little…outdated. But, in there is a whole new world of options!" Jacob raised his eyebrows as he pointed at the clothing store, hoping that Jasper bought his attempt at making it sound like an adventure.

All Jacob knew was that if kids were as tough to deal with as Jasper he'd pass on the whole family experience.

Jasper continued to narrow his eyes, looking as if he was doing some serious calculations. His gaze shifted from the store's entrance to Jacob's eager expression and then back to the store. He wanted to figure out a way to decline Jacob's offer without hurting his feelings; to explain that he was genuinely petrified at having so many possible _options_. He liked things to be easy; predictable.

But he did not know how. So, sighing, he stepped into the store. Resisting the urge to jump up and down while clapping, Jacob followed his heel.

* * *

><p>It had been a while since Jacob had talked to Edward about The Mysterious Faith Healer. He had been so surprised when Edward agreed to the idea; almost happy even. But it shocked him when his friend collapsed in his lap, body wracked with silent sobs.<p>

After what seemed like forever, Edward said in a broken voice, "I don't know what else to do."

Jacob had been patting his friend's back soothingly, albeit unsurely. Usually Edward insisted that Jacob did not enter his personal bubble, and now he had broken down all walls and completely showed him what he looked like behind the mask.

When Edward had fallen asleep like that, Jacob had calmly maneuvered himself in a way that would not wake him up. Before leaving, he got a mischievous idea to leave a note that said "Thanks for the sex. Love, Your Beau Jacob." He figured it would give Edward something to laugh about when he woke up. And well, the kid needed some laughter in his life.

It was then that Jacob had made it his mission to give Jasper a make-over, as to not give Edward anything to cluck at disapprovingly.

On his way to the aforementioned albino's house the next morning, he received a call from the Cullen.

"I'm going to kill you." Edward muttered.

"Hello to you too, sweetheart." Jacob said with a smirk.

"Knife or gun? It's your choice." he responded.

"What has your panties in a bunch?" Jake asked.

"Alice _saw _the note. And now she thinks…well…you know…" Edward trailed off, getting embarrassed.

"Say it. Out loud." Jacob said, mocking a vampire movie he had seen once.

"Now she thinks we're like…_together. _Or at least she did. I think she believes me now but she still won't quit laughing at me."

"I've spent a good portion of our friendship laughing at you. One would think you'd be used to it by now." he commented.

Making some sort of indignant noise, Edward hung up the phone. This caused Jake to laugh even further. He knew his friend would be over it in a matter of moments.

He pulled up in front of Jasper's apartment building, pausing to answer some texts from Ambimbola before finding his apartment door and ringing the doorbell.

Jasper answered instantly, getting ready to tell whichever hopeful person waiting at his door that he was out of supplies and that they'd have to come back in three weeks. That is, if they weren't dead by then. But he found that he was able to save himself the speech, because waiting at his door was the douchebag.

"What can I do for you, sir?" Jasper asked, nervously. He hoped that he hadn't come to tell him off for scaring Alice.

"A lot. You could get a haircut, for instance. And actually vacuum your apartment for once." Jake said.

"Why?" Jasper drawled in a way that made it almost sound like _Waahhh._

"Because you've impressed Alice. Now you just need to impress her brother. And then you could heal her, get your money, and everyone's happy." he explained.

Jasper was surprised at this news. It was the exact opposite of what he expected. This was good news for a number of reasons. His rent was due at the end of the month so he needed the cash, he was growing weaker so he needed the blood, and, well, he just liked the fact that there was something to break up the monotonousness of his life.

With a pang he remembered that his shipment of supplies wouldn't be coming in weeks.

"I won't be able to treat her for three weeks." Jasper explained.

"That's okay. We'll need all three weeks to fix-" he gestured to Jasper's general being, "_this_."

The young monster wanted to feel offended, but he still wasn't sure what the insult was.

* * *

><p>So that's how it happened. That's how Jacob had wormed his way back into his life and was now doing everything to uproot it; redesign it; reboot it.<p>

But there were some things Jasper was not ready to change.

There had been an incident where Jacob was innocently rearranging the décor in Jasper's house, idly narrating all the while what exactly his actions were doing for the space.

"The room will look more open; brighter. Less…creepy like some old scary movie." and with that he reached for one of his dolls.

Jasper moved so fast that Jake could almost swear he didn't even see him move. But all of a sudden he was draped across the shelves of dolls, panting and giving Jake a warning glare.

Taking the hint, Jake decided to move the couch instead.

"That was a close one." Jasper whispered to one of the dolls, smoothing the trills on its dress.

"What was that?" Jacob inquired, hearing Jasper speak.

"Nothing." he mumbled in response.

* * *

><p>Jasper nervously took in his new atmosphere, noting the pop music playing in the background, and the smartly dressed retailers. He figured this was some name brand store, and briefly worried whether he would be able to afford any of this.<p>

As if sensing his concerns, Jacob handed him his card, with a dismissive, "Go nuts."

Jasper knew that he didn't like to be thanked. So he resisted his gentlemanly urges, and pretended to take a deep interest in a burgundy cardigan, counting the hours down that he could leave the store.

"Hello, welcome to The Shack. How may I help you?" said a chipper voice behind him, catching him off guard and causing him to flinch.

He turned around to see a petite Asian girl with long black hair and a child-like appearance. Almost like one of his dolls come to life.

He frowned, and she mimicked his frown in turn.

"I'm sorry, did I startle you?" she questioned.

Struggling to find his voice, he nodded.

Her eyes grew wide in recognition, "I'm sorry, are you a foreigner? Do you speak another language. Je parle francais? Hablas espanol? Sorry, those are the only two I know." She continued to babble; a habit that Jasper found all too familiar. It strongly reminded him of Jake.

Who was nowhere to be found.

"That's okay. I speak English." Jasper heard himself say, surprised that he hadn't had a panic attack yet.

She laughed. Jasper froze, fearing for a second that she was laughing _at _him. But a quick, genuine smile assured him that she simply found the situation humorous.

"You're nervous, aren't you? Let me guess: Some asshole dragged you here because he insists you need a makeover, because 'Dude, chicks will totally dig you if you change your image'," she mimicked what a college fratboy would sound like, "Am I right?"

"Pretty close." he responded, "How'd you know?"

"Because you seem out of your element." she reasoned. Understatement of the year. "You look fine just the way you are, by the way. It's refreshing to see someone hold their own instead of dressing like everyone else. We get nothing but clones in stores like this."

She rolled her eyes to punctuate her point, and then all of a sudden grabbed his hand.

"My break is in five minutes. If you want I could take you to a different store, and help you pick out something." she suggested.

He wasn't sure that was a good idea. Jacob had left him to shop specifically at The Shack, and what if he came back and Jasper was no longer there? What if he thinks that Jasper bailed on him? There were a million and one things wrong with the situation.

But he couldn't resist the hopeful look this girl was giving him. She really did remind him of Jake.

"O-Okay." he finally said.

She jumped up and down and actually _squealed._

"Oh, by the way, I'm Tabbitha." she stuck out her hand, and he stared at it.

"Jasper." he replied suspiciously, tentatively taking the proffered hand and shaking it weakly. She found this act funny and laughed as well.

"See you in five!" she said, running to behind the counter.

He stood in the middle of the store; still dazed at his encounter.

Did he just make a friend?

Jasper Hale could not be sure, but it was something that he wasn't going to question. He was making _friends, _albeit involuntarily, but nevertheless. They were _friends. _People, who were alive. People who were _interesting. _

He walked around aimlessly, lost in thought, so one can't blame him when he walked into another person. Horrified, he began apologizing before he even saw where he was or who he ran into.

And then he noticed.

He was in the middle of a _racy _lingerie section.

With Jacob Black.

Not knowing what to do, they both just stared at each other, and Jasper's eyes wandered to what was in Jacob's hands.

A red lacey sad excuse for underwear, and Jasper once heard it being called a _G-String. _

"Now, I'm not here to judge you, Jake, b-but…" Jasper began, fumbling over a few of his words.

Jacob and waved his hands dismissively, and the embarrassing article waved in his hand like the American flag blew in the wind.

"No, no, no, I'm not getting them for _myself," _Although in a way he was, "I'm getting them for a _female friend _of mine…" Jacob said, without missing a beat. As if he was caught doing this multiple times, and wasn't shocked by getting caught anymore.

"Oh," Jasper said, not knowing what to do. Is it normal to buy such things for your female friends?

_Would I ever buy something like that for Rosalie…? _He thought, and came upon a frightening thought, _Are Rosalie and I even friends? _He dismissed the thought. Of course they were. They were more than friends. She was his creator. Their bond was special, unable to be labeled.

He was pulled from his thoughts by a loud sound of displeasure coming from behind him. The girl, Tabbitha, was standing behind him with a look of disgust on her face. She was staring at Jacob.

"Who the hell dropped this pile of filth in my store?" She spat, glaring at Jacob, and then the underwear he was holding. Before Jacob could conjure up a comeback, she snapped several photos of him holding the scandalous undergarment.

"What are you going to do with that?" Jacob asked, knowing Tabbitha wasn't going to do anything innocent with the photograph.

"I wonder how long you go to jail when you panty-snatch." Tabbitha replied in a wondrous tone, getting ready to send a picture message to her best friend, Ambimbola.

Jacob's eyes widened, and he rushed towards the exit, "Come on man, this place stinks of sea-witch."

"Um, no, he's coming with me." Tabbitha said, grabbing Jasper's hand and pulling him towards her.

_His hands are cold as balls, _Tabbitha noted, but decided against saying anything.

At the same time, the physical contact made Jasper uncomfortable. He wasn't sure how to react without hurting someone's feelings, so he tried to play the discomfort off as apathy.

"No he's not. He's not your _friend. _You don't even know his name!" Jacob shot back.

"Yes he is, and yes I do!" Tabbitha shot back defensively.

"What's his name then?" Jacob challenged her.

Tabbitha took a long, hard look at Jasper's face, and he thought of telling her what his name was, to be polite.

"His name is Jasper Hale." She proclaimed. And they were both shocked. Jacob glared at her, and then decided to take the opportunity to make some more changes to Jasper's apartment without the nervous supervision.

"Fine. He better look sexual when he comes home." Jacob warned.

"Oh, he will." Tabbitha said. With that, Jacob Black was gone, and Jasper was left following Tabbitha into her small green Ford Fiesta. He lowered himself into the passenger seat of her car, and looked around.

The interior was very neat and clean, despite the girl's eclectic personality. Usually people who are eclectic have messy things; Jasper had a friend like that once. Well, a more than friend really.

He almost smiled when he remembered how eclectic his girlfriend was. Claire Delaney, the place where his life began and ended at the same time. She was always unorganized and rushing somewhere, but she didn't want it any other way.

And he loved her for that, he loved her for every quirk she had. How she always smelled of lavender, and how her country accent would resurface when she was flustered.

"Sorry." Tabbitha said, snapping Jasper out of his thoughts.

"For what?" he asked. She hadn't done anything to upset you.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable when I grabbed you, but I did. Sorry. Physical contact is just second nature to me, so you should get used to that, if we're going to continue this relationship." She said sternly.

"Um… relationship?" he questioned. He could never tell with people anymore.

"My bad, friendship. I don't think before I do anything," She admitted, while making a turn into a small parking lot, and taking her keys out of the ignition.

"Alright, here we go," She said while taking her seatbelt off and opening her car door, "I feel like this place is going to be perfect for you."

Tabbitha looked Jasper over as he walked into the store, mentally noting that he desperately needed a tan and some self confidence.

_He walks like he's not comfortable in his own skin, _she noted, knowing all too well what that felt like.

A bell rang indicating that there were new customers in the shop, and immediately, Jaspers eyes lit up. The shop was small, and everything was country based clothing.

"How did you know?" He asked Tabbitha, who was already in the aisles, picking up and mixing and matching clothes.

"I could hear your southern accent from where my great grandfather is from," She said while holding up a shirt to him, to see if it matched.

"Where's that?" Jasper asked, feeling a bit more comfortable in the small shop with the familiar smell of leather.

"The Philippines, man. It's a cool place. Really hot. Nice if you want to get a tan, though." Tabbitha looked at him when she said this, and Jasper knew she was telling him to get a tan.

"Oh…" Jasper said, looking at his pasty skin. _Can vampires tan? _He asked. For the first time in a long time, Jasper realized how little he really knew. There were so many questions he had, and no one there ask. He sighed.

_If only Rosalie were back, _he thought, picking up a belt with a small belt buckle on it.

Jasper didn't notice that Tabbitha had taken the card Jake gave to him and practically bought the whole store. But when it came time to carry the bags upon bags upon bags of items, Jasper got worried.

"I think we should take some things back, miss. I don't want to get Mr. Black in trouble." Jasper said while trying to balance a box of shoes on another box. Tabbitha dismissed his worries, and told him not to speak so formally. It was creepy.

After using Jacob's credit card for a hair cut for Jasper, along with some new highlights for Tabbitha, and a whole new wardrobe for Jasper and a few wish list items for Tabbitha, the trip was over.

"So, how did you know what my full name was?" Jasper asked as Tabbitha turned the corner into the familiar parking lot.

"The same way I know where you live, man," Tabbitha said while pulling the keys out of her ignition, and running one of her hands through her hair.

Jasper stared at Tabbitha blankly, not knowing how she could posses so much information when she was so small.

"It says that on the flyers, man!" Tabbitha said, and she got out of her car to help Jasper with his bags.

Jasper sighed at how familiar that line sounded. He figured he'd just gained another troublesome acquaintance. But for some reason, it was okay.

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN:_ **See? I try to keep up with my promises! We're trying to update more regularly now (your reviews helped us come to the conclusion that we didn't update enough). The goal is at least one chapter a week. Again, no promises. Did you like the chapter? By golly, I sure hope so!

Sincerely,

Jess and Steph


	6. Oblivion

"Seven hundred and thirty eight dollars!" Jacob exclaimed for the umpteenth time, holding up numerous receipts from various stores.

"And 49 cents." Jasper reminded him, accounting for the pack of gum that he picked up.

Tired of arguing, since it was very clear that Jasper would never get the point, he settled into the couch opposite of Jasper. He facepalmed, mumbling something about killing the damn albino.

"If it makes you feel better, I can pay you back." Jasper said, moving to go get money from his safe. He could do without electricity and water for a month.

"No," Jake said, internally fighting with his natural instinct to take the money, "That's…fine. That's what friends are for."

"I have a bathroom if you need to use it." Jasper commented, referring to Jake's near constipated look.

Not sure of how the hell to react to that; he settled on laughing. Jasper Hale was a freaking basket case; he knew that much. But there was something about him. Something that made you want to kind of root for the guy. Despite his incredible naivety at just about everything.

It made him wonder sometimes what made Jasper the way he was. Why did he live alone? What was his story? Jacob sometimes debated whether or not he should dig too deep because he's long since decided that he probably wouldn't like what he found.

But sometimes curiosity got the better of him. Because every now and then he'd catch Jasper staring off into the distance and he found himself wondering what was going on in that twisted little brain of his. What scenes were playing out before him? What terror was he looking square in the eye?

Sometimes Alice did that too. She'd stare at the thin air; for a long amount of time. And whenever he asked, she'd brush him off, claiming to be "thinking."

What Jacob would give to see what they saw. Just for a moment. Just to understand.

"Did you used to live under a rock, or something?"

"No sir." Jasper replied, "I'm a Texan, born and raised."

"Same thing." Jake remarked, remembering that that was the same state that still didn't teach evolution in science classes.

Jasper chuckled, a sound that still shocked Jake. He swore up and down that every time Jasper laughed a freaking unicorn was born.

"What brought you to New York?" Jake asked. Normally, Jasper grew incredibly shut in when Jacob took to questioning him like this, but today he was in a good mood.

"Education." Jasper answered, "Medicine."

His answers were short and clipped, but they were better than the usual silence Jake was accustomed to. Jasper was drawn in now; sitting in the chair but now in a near fetal position. His knees were tucked in so that he rested his chin on them, and his arms wrapped around himself as if to form a cage.

Was he keeping something out or keeping himself in?

"I should have guessed, Mr. Faith Healer." Jake said, "So, what's your denomination?"

"Excuse me?" Jasper asked, confused.

"You're a _faith _healer, dude. What's your faith?" Jacob said, rephrasing the question.

Sometimes Jasper sensed that Jacob saw right through him. He was the world's worst liar; yet his lies took hold when it counted most.

Because if he were being honest, he didn't have faith in much of anything anymore. Not since _that day._ He had decided that the world was chaos, and there was no one watching out for him. He was on his own, which was both freeing and condemning.

"Catholic." Jasper answered, drawing in even closer if that were humanely possible.

Jacob, who was better at reading people then he let on, decided it was his cue to go.

"Take care, man. I'll swing by later. I have to go to the Cullens'."

Before he left, Jasper called after him. Jacob turned around, surprised.

"Um…tell Alice I said hello." Jasper requested.

Nodding, Jake left.

And then Jasper was left alone with the dolls and a buzzing in his ear telling him to quit while he was ahead. Stop seeing the Cullen girl because she was dead anyway just like you should have been seven years ago. She was done for, death was knocking at her door, and there was nothing he could do about it. And it didn't even matter if he did manage to save her because point blank: _she can't save you._

She'll thank him and smile that beautiful smile in gratitude. And then she'd be gone. And he'd be hanging on by a simple fucking thread. And unlike most people, he wouldn't be lucky enough to die. Because he was chained to that fucking thread; bound from head to toe til _death do us part._

And Rosalie was off somewhere not giving half a damn if the Hale kid managed to find a way to off himself yet.

_Stop it, _he thought, _You can whine all you want but it won't change anything. Point is, you're stuck here on this Earth. And you're lucky enough to have more time here than most. Don't waste it, kid._

And he froze upon the realization that even those words were not his, but the words of Rosalie.

_Get out of my head. I'm going crazy, _he thought. And he just heard the airy laughter of a beautiful monster in reply.

* * *

><p>"And you're a completely assured that this guy isn't insane, right?" Edward asked, pacing up and down in his living room.<p>

"Positive." Jake said, flashing his million dollar smile and putting an arm around Edward's shoulder, "Have I ever steered you wrong?"

"Yes." Edward muttered grumpily.

"Well, I'm asking you to ignore those times because this time I've got it. He's the real deal, Eddy-kins. I've even talked to one of his past patients. He's worked _miracles. _And he's cured people with a lot worse than-" Jake rambled on, but cut off at the pleading look Edward gave him. Because he didn't want it said aloud; all that did was make it real.

"Anyway, you promised to trust me. So trust me." Jake said.

Edward squinted at his friend, trying to seem cold and indecisive and but he couldn't help but crack a small smile. Jacob, albeit annoying, happened to be a chisel in his armor.

"They're so in love." Alice remarked, watching them from the staircase.

"Definitely. Why do you think Edward's grinning like that? Do you think Jake finally proposed to him?" Tabitha said back, munching away at the skittles in her hand.

As Edward turned around to scold the two girls he heard them quietly run away, laughing all the while.

He turned his head again, and Jacob was surprised to see unshed tears in his eyes. Edward had been like that a lot lately. Going from angry to annoyed to happy to sad in a matter of moments.

"She's still just a kid, Jake. She deserves to live out a full, healthy life. And I can't…I can't ensure that for her. But I at least want to try." Edward said, seeming to admit defeat, "So when am I scheduled to see the jackpot?"

"Anytime. He doesn't exactly have a packed schedule." Jake admitted.

* * *

><p>Jasper knew he needed to clear his head. He needed time to think. He needed to get away from the poison that was obviously seeping through those four walls; making him hear voices. Because he sure as hell wasn't going mad.<p>

He's heard eerie tales of it before. Of immortal creatures going mad from living for so many years. But he hadn't even lived out a normal life span, yet. He was hardly ancient. In fact, so many others considered him to still be a child.

So, no. He could not be going crazy. He would not allow it.

As he took off to the streets of New York City, he found himself regretting it almost instantly. It was incredibly packed, way too noisy, and bustling with…well, _life._

The sheer number of people astounded him. But what amazed him even more was how easily they could be wiped out. Just like that. And they all chattered on, oblivious to the fact that their lives could end at any given moment and they wouldn't even see it coming-

"Doomsday is upon us! The Lord has spoken his will! The world will end in a holy fire!" barked a madman a few feet ahead of him.

Jasper remembered his type very well. He remembered navigating these streets and bumping into one at least once a week.

He held a sign that said, "REPENT" in black sharpie.

Mildly amused, he carefully maneuvered around the person and went to continue walking. He was stopped suddenly when an accusatory finger was pointed in his face, a mere inch away from the tip of his nose.

"Can't you see it? The devil walks among us!"

The crowd that was only partially interested in what the man had to say now all turned to watch the spectacle being made.

Jasper felt several pairs of eyes burning on his skin and he did the one thing he was so used to doing. He fled.

Pushing past the man and quickening his pace, he heard the sound of the man's fleeting voice as he walked out of earshot saying, "Repent for your sins while there's still time."

Pushing through a throng of people and ignoring their rude replies, he quickly found a wedge between a bakery and a laundromat; a little alleyway where he wouldn't be scene.

Settling down on the cracked sidewalk, weeds beginning to grow in the cracks, his mind began to swim with the prospect that _even in a crowd _people saw right through him.

They _knew. _They all sensed he wasn't like them. He wasn't one of them. And no matter how hard he tried…

He felt a lump in his throat, and waited for the familiar tears to follow. But they didn't.

Because crying was something so incredibly _human, _wasn't it?

Silent sobs wracked his body and he felt that that man was right; the world really _was _ending and he felt it crashing around him.

All the while he did not shed one tear.

* * *

><p>Jacob was chattering away as he and Edward made their way up the stairs and to Jasper's apartment. Besides his usual habit of talking about utter nonsense, Jacob was hoping to distract Edward from the destitute state of the building. Being a <em>white middle class scholar<em>, he wouldn't know a crack-house from a playground.

They rang the doorbell, and waited for their host to answer them. And waited. And waited. They were greeted by nothing but silence in return.

"He must be sleeping." Jacob remarked, ringing the doorbell a few more times. When nothing happened he resorted to banging on the door. No matter what he did there was no response.

He turned to Edward, smiling apologetically, "Give him a moment."

He bent down, opened the mail slot in the door, and began to yell mercilessly, "Listen, you little shit! I've done so much for you! I let you spend a good portion of my life savings! I gave your apartment a make-over! Please, for the love of god, open the damn door." he whispered the last sentence, pawing at the door.

Edward helped his friend up off of the ground. "O-kay. I guess we've had enough of this little adventure. It was nice while it lasted."

"I promise he'll be here if we come back tomorrow." Jacob pleaded with him, "You can't just give up without even trying."

"Maybe he moved away." Edward remarked. After all, he had contemplated moving away when he first met Jacob too.

Following his train of thought, Jacob pouted at him, "Not nice."

They walked out of the apartment building, Jacob mentally preparing the speech he was going to give Jasper the next time he saw his sorry white ass.

Jasper stumbled into his apartment blindly, only having one goal in mind: booze. He didn't care if he didn't get drunk any of the other times. Maybe he just didn't try hard enough. Tonight was the night. He was going to drink himself into a blissful oblivion, and there was no one around to stop him.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Sorry we've been gone for so long! You know...school sucks. But thanks for sticking with us for so long. Here's the chapter I promised many of you via message, haha. No special after-school lesson here, just enjoy your summer. Unless you're in the southern hemisphere. Then...yaaaay.

Love,

Jess and Steph


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